Pleasure-railway.



. Patented Nov. 4, |902. G. F. MYERS.

PLEASURE RAILWAY.

(Application led July 14, 1.902.|

3 ShBets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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No. 7l2,708.

G. F. MYERS. PLEASURE RAILWAY,`

(Application led July 14, 1932.)

3 Sheeis-Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

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No. 712,708. Patented Nov. 4,1902.

e. E. MYERS. PLEASURE RAILWAY.

(Application nud July 14, 1962.) I E (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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GEORGE FRANCIS MYERS, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA,`ASSIGNOR TO MYERS AMUSEMENT COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PLEAsURE-'RAlLi/vm.

SPECIFGATIGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 712,708, dated November 4, 19.02. i

Original application filed July l2, 1902, Serial 110.115,275.

To a/ZZ whom, it Wtay concer-n,.-

Beit known thatLGEoRGE FRANCIS MYERS, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Pittsburg, county of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pleasure-Railways; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as Will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and'use the same. j In an application for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial No. 115,275, led July 12, 1902, for certain improvements in pleasure-railways I have described and shown an organization wherein a passenger-car, preferably shaped in the form of a projectile, is received in and projected through a cannonlike tunnel, while at the same time the ignition, -flash, and'report of acannon is simulated with more or less delity. The devices for opening vandclosing the breech-block or door at the entrance of the cannon-tunnel are claimed in my application, Serial No. 115,439, filed July 14, 1902. i

The present application relates more particularly to the feature of producing thesimulated ignition, iiash, and report referred to, and to that extent is a division of the application mentioned.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a top plan view of the breech portion of a cannontunnel embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal horizontal section.

Figs. 3,f4,'5,'and 6 represent details of the in.

vention on a larger scale.

Similar numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

cannon-tunnel; 2, -the track-rails within the cannon-bore; 3, the track-rails of approach; 4, the accelerating-chain for propelling the carthroughthe cannon; 5, the transmittingchain; 6 and 7, sprocket-wheels upon the shaft 8; 9 and 10, sprocket-wheels of larger size upon the shaft 11;'12, the chain for ad'- vancing the car to the breech of the cannon,

and 35 the movable breech-block or door pivoted at 36, which is adapted to be opened Divided and this application led July 14, 1902. Serial No. (No model.)

when lthe car approaches the cannon and to be closed immediately after the car enters.

The devices lfor simulating ignition, Hash, and report are located in the immediate vicinity of the door, so as to be brought into operation either immediately before or practical ly simultaneously with the sudden impulse imparted to the car when seized and projected forward by the accelerating-chain, the purpose,of course,being to convey the impression that the rapid forward movement of the car is to be due to the explosion yof a cannon charge. To this end a row of incandescent electric lamps 34 is arranged in parallel or series, as shown, Within the breech in a normally broken electric circuit 31 32, including a dynamo-electric generator or other 'suitable source of electric energy 33 (see Fig. 3) and a circuit maker and breaker. One branch or terminal 31 of the circuit is connected to the metal block 29, upon which rests the metal spring 2S and metal contact 27. The other branch or terminal 32 of the circuit is connected to the metal bearing-block 26, in which is journaled the pivot-pin 22 of the lever 21, having an arm 20, which serves as a contact to cooperate with the contact 27, but Which is normally separated therefrom, as indicated'in Fig. 4. The arm 2O is preferably provided with a covering 19, of-sandpaper or the like, and the projection 17 on the lcar 14 is likewise provided with a similar sandpaper covering 18, (see Fig. 6,) the purpose of this covering being to produce a swish as the projection passesoverthearm,simulatingignition. The lever 21 is further provided with a hammerhead 23,normally resting on the resonant sheet of gong-metal 25, riveted at 37 to any suitable Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the insulating support or base. (Not shown.) As the hooked cross-bar 16 (see Fig. 4) of the accelerating-chain 4 seizes the projection 15 (see Fig. 6) of the car 14 the forward impulse thus imparted to the car is accompanied with the practically simultaneous passage of the projection 17 over the arm 20, causing the swish above referred to, depressing the arm until it comes in contact withthe yielding block 27, thereby momentarily closing the electric circuit and causing the lamps to flash. At the same time the lever 21 is raised into the position shown by the dotted-lines 24, and as the car passes on, releasing the lever, its weighted end 23 falls violently upon the gong-metal 25, causing a loud boom or report. The combined effect of these devices coming into action in appropriate succession is to produce the impression that the forward impetus due to the accelerating-chain is due to the explosion of a cannon charge-an effect which is further heightened by the factthat the car is projected through a cannon-like tunnel.

1. In a pleasure-railway, a cannon-tunnel, a trackway leading to the breech ofthe cannon-tunnel, a trackway within the cannontunnel bore, a trackway leading from the m uzzle end, means for speeding the passage oi' aY car through the cannon -tunnel bore, and means for simulating a flash Within the cannon-tunnel; substantially as described.

2. In a pleasure-railway, acannon-tunnel, a trackway leading to thebreech of the cannon-tunnel, a trackway within the cannontunnel bore, a trackway leading from the muzzle end, means for speeding the passage of a car through the cannon tunnel bore, and means for simulatingr a report within the cannon-tunnel; substantially as described.

3. In a pleasure-railway, a cannon-tunnel, a trackway leading to the breech of the cannon-tunnel, a trackway within the cannontunnel bore, a trackway leading from the m uzzle end, means for speeding the passage of a car through the cannon tunnel bore, and means for simulatinga flash and report Within the cannon tunnel; substantially as described.

4. In a pleasure-railway, a cannon-tunnel, a trackway leading to the breech of the cannon-tunnel, a trackway within the cannontunnel bore, a trackway leading from the muzzle end, means for speeding the passage of a car through the cannon tunnel bore, and means for simulating an ignition, flash and report within the cannon-tunnel, substantially as described.

5. In a pleasure-railway, a cannon-tunnel, a trackway leading to the breech of the cannon-tunnel, a trackway Within the cannontunnel bore, a trackway leading from the m uzzle end, means for speeding the passage of a car through the cannon -tunnel bore, and means for simulating a flash within the cannon-tunnel bore, said means consisting of an electric light Within the cannon-tunnel, a supply-circuit, and acircuit maker and breaker;

. substantially as described.

mer-lever having a projection extending in the-path of movement of the car, and a cooperating sheet of metal upon which said lever is adapted to strike; substantially as described. I

7. In a pleasure-railway, a cannon-tunnel, a trackway leading to thebreech of the cannon-tunnel, a trackway Within the cannontunnel bore, a trackway leading from the muzzle end, means for speeding the passage of a car through the cannon tunnel bore, and means for simulating a flash and report within the cannon-tunnel, said means consisting of an electric light Within the cannon-tunnel, a supply-circuit, a combined hammer-*lever and circuit maker and breaker having a projection extending in the path of movement of the car, and a cooperating sheet of metal upon which said lever is adapted to strike; sub'- stantially as described.

8. In a pleasure-railway, a cannon-tunnel, a trackway leading to the breech of the cannon-tunnel, a trackway within the cannontunnel bore, a trackway leading from the muzzle end, means for speeding the passage of a car through the cannon -tunnel bore, and means for simulatinga flash and report Within the cannon-tunnel, said means consisting of an electric light Within the cannon-tunnel, a supply-circuit, a combined hammer-lever and circuit maker and breaker having a projection extending in the path of movement of the ear, and a cooperating sheet of metal upon which said lever is adapted to strike, the rubbing-surface of said projection being of sandpaper; substantially as described.

9. In a pleasure-railway, a cannon-tunnel, a trackway leading to the breech of the cannon-tunnel, a trackway Within the cannontunnel bore, a trackway leading from the muzzle end, means for speeding the passage of a car through the cannon-tunnel bore, and means for simulating a Hash within the cannon-tunnel, said means consisting of an eleotric light Within the cannon-tunnel, a supplycircuit, and a circuit maker and breaker, substantially as described.

-l0. In a pleasure-railway, a can non-tunnel, a trackway leading to the breech of the cannon-tunnel, a trackway within the cannontunnel bore, a trackway leading from the muzzle end, means for speeding the passage of a ear through the cannon-tunnel bore, and means for simulating a report Within thecannon-tunnel, said means consisting of a hammer-lever having a projection extending in the path of movement of the car, and a cooperating sheet of metal upon which said lever is adapted to strike, substantially as described.

ll. In a pleasure-railway, a cannon-tunnel, a trackway leading to the breech of the cannon-tunnel, a trackway within the cannontunnel bore, a trackway leading from the muzzle end, means for speeding the passage of a car through the cannon-tunnel bore, and

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means for simulating a Hash and report within the cannon-tunnel, said means consisting of an electric light Within the cannon-tunnel, a supply-circuit a combined hammer-lever and circuit maker and breaker having a projection extending in the path of movement of the car, and a cooperating sheet of metal upon which said lever is adapted to strike, substantially as described.

l2. In a pleasure-railway, a cannon-tunnel, a trackway leading to the breech of the cannon-tunnel, a trackway withinthe cannontunnel bore, a trackway leading from the muzzle end, means for speeding the passage of a car through the cannon-tunnel bore, and means for simulating a flash and report Within the cannon-tunnel, said means consisting of an electric light Within the cannon-tunnel, a supply-circuit, a combined hammer-lever and circuit maker and breaker having a projection extending .in the path of movement of the car, and a cooperating sheet of metal upon which said lever is adapted to strike, the rubbing-surface of said projection being of sandpaper, substantially as described.

In testimony'whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE FRANCIS MYERS.

Witnesses:

B. A. LAWS, F. DIFFENBACH. 

